How To Convert a Scanned PDF to Word Online

If you just want a fast, free tool to convert a scanned PDF to Word online in seconds, try this:

If you want to see more options and details, keep reading.

It may surprise you, but converting files from PDF to an editable Word doc is actually really easy.

One problem people run into is that not all PDFs have text that’s easy to select and copy. This is most common with scanned PDFs, where the file is stored as an image instead of editable text. The solution for this is optical character recognition, or OCR.

The second problem is knowing what tool to use to transform a PDF into a Word document quickly. It’s easy to save a Word doc to an editable PDF, but how do you convert from PDF to an editable Word file?

Below we walk you step-by-step through two options with different benefits:

1. Microsoft Word’s native converter
2. Smallpdf’s free cloud tool

Read on to discover which is best for your needs.

Convert Scanned PDFs Directly in MS Word

The most direct way to turn a PDF into a Word doc is using Microsoft Word itself. MS Word isn’t free, but presumably if you want to convert a PDF to Word, you already have a Microsoft Word license.

This isn’t the best choice for complex PDFs with images and graphics, but it’s an easy option if your PDF is primarily text-based with a very simple layout.

Here’s how to open a scanned PDF directly in Microsoft Word:

1. Open Microsoft Word on your computer.
2. Go to ‘File’ > ‘Open’ and find the PDF you want to convert on your computer. Be aware that PDFs don’t always appear by default, so you may have to search specifically for “PDF” file extensions.
3. Allow time for Word to import and convert the PDF to Word.
4. Review and edit the document to ensure it looks as you desired.
5. Go to ‘File’ > ‘Save As’ to save your file as a DOCX.

This method is straightforward and doesn’t require any additional tools. The conversion is also done locally, so documents remain private and you can convert PDFs even if you’re offline.

The biggest drawback to this option is that it’s not well-suited to PDFs with images, graphics, or complex formatting. So you may need to manually correct formatting and text recognition errors. The conversion process is also slower than other other options, so patience is required.

If your document is mostly text in a block paragraph layout, this is a good place to start. If you need a faster option that handles complex document layouts, this next tool might be for you.

Convert Scanned PDF to Editable Word With Smallpdf

This is our favorite option because—full disclosure—we built it. But wait, hear this out.

With Smallpdf, you can convert an editable PDF to Word completely free, without an email address or registering for an account.

If you have a scanned PDF, you’ll need to use OCR to scan the PDF text, which is a Pro feature (but you can take advantage of the 7-day trial to convert your PDF for free—don’t tell our Finance team we told you this).

Both options are fast, easy, and accessible from anywhere. Just upload a scanned PDF and get back an editable Word docx file.

Here’s how to convert a scanned PDF to Word online with Smallpdf:

1. Go to the Smallpdf PDF to Word Converter.
2. Choose your PDF file, or just drag-and-drop it into the box.
3. Select the option for selectable text (free) or OCR (Pro with trial).
4. Wait just a few seconds for the conversion to finish.
5. Download your editable Word file.

Smallpdf is an online PDF converter, so it works from any browser on any device, as long as you have an internet connection.

Your files are also encrypted with advanced TLS encryption, so it’s completely secure. All files are deleted from our Smallpdf servers after conversion, unless you choose to create an account to save your files. The choice is yours.

Which Scan to PDF Method Is Best for You?

There’s rarely an absolute best option, but here’s our suggestion for turning scans into Word docs.

If you have a simple text document created from a scan or photograph, first try to import it directly using MS Word. It may require a few small edits after conversion, but if it works, you save the hassle of using multiple tools.

If you’re working with longer PDFs that have tables, graphics, and custom formatting, Smallpdf might be your better bet. It’s fast and available instantly from any machine. You can even try the one-click OCR PDF to Word feature for free.

Be aware that there’s a 5GB file size limitation with the free version. But unless you’re working with huge high-resolution, graphic-intensive scans, that should be more than enough for most PDF needs.

If fast and free is your aim, click below and you’ll be done in no time.